Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in Christopher Moore’s novel The Serpent of Venice. She is the parody of Desdemona from the original play of William Shakespeare's Othello. Desdemona is Othello’s wife and lives in Corsica. She has a younger sister Portia. They are newly orphaned after her father Brabantio's death. Rodrigo is fond of her. Her handmaid is Iago’s wife, Emilia. Pocket describes her as long hair, green-eyed with sparks, and round of cheeks''Moore 2014, 144.. '''Historical Background' In the original play Othello, Desdemona falls in love with Othello. The two get married, despite the fact that marrying with the Moor was against her father’s wishes. She is manipulated by Iago, and is seen by her husband as cheating with Michael Cassio. She is killed by Othello who thinks that she has been cheating and betraying him, which is the symbol of the tragedy of this play. However, she believes in and is obedient to her husband until the very end of her life. Unique characteristics of Serpent of Venice There are three key differences with Shakespeare’s original play. Firstly, her marriage with Othello is helped by Pocket. Desdemona and Othello had loved each other secretlyMoore 2014, 215.. Cordelia’s ghost tells Pocket to help Othello, and he promises her to help the Moor. Pocket sells them a favor and persuades them both of the marriage without permission or blessing of BrabantioMoore 2014, 143.. “He has not taken the lady against her will, he has married her. Yes, she is ruined, but by her own will and consent, ruined only for me; in the eyes of God and the state, she belongs to the Moor.” Moore 2014. 146. Secondly, Desdemona becomes an important figure in politics, as her father was a senator. Antonia claims that “Brabantio’s seat would go to his eldest son, but since he had no son, it will go to the husband of his eldest" Moore 2014, 35., and Desdemona becomes the center in obtaining power. Thirdly, Pocket is involved in fighting Iago and his plan to kill Desdemona. Iago's words gave suspicion to Othello that his wife may be cheating with Cassio. "The Moor, a storm of suspicion conjured in his mind by Iago, did burst into his lady's bedchamber to confront his enemy - fear - the fear of losing his love to another."Moore 2014, 222. Unlike the original play, Othello consults with Pocket that Desdemona is confounding himMoore 2014, 233.. Pocket seeks to persuade Othello that Iago is talking nonsense, and his wife couldn't have betrayed him. "Fine. So you would accuse your lady of being untrue - your lady, who throw all of Venice away for you, stood up to the most powerful men in the republic, for you, Moor: she you would accuse, without any evidence but the comment of another, yet Iago, who you know to be a villain, a cutthroat, and a traitor - for him you need proof beyond my word? Respect my judgment in this, Othello, if in nothing else, or thou art a fool."Moore 2014, 234. Iago still tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating with Cassio, by for example, by looking at the actions and behaviors of Desdemona and Cassio, and acknowledging the loss of the handkerchief with strawberriesMoore 2014, 244.. Othello looks as though Iago tricks him, and Iago believes Othello killed his wife and then took his own life as well. The sailors that were suppose to keep Iago were also convinced that Othello was dead, and released Iago because they thought Iago was going to become their new commanderMoore 2014, 276.. In addition "lawyers released the gold that had been paid to the estate to Portia."Moore 2014, 288-289. However, it was all part of Pocket's plan to trick everyone, and Othello and Desdemona are alive. "Desdemona, as mistress of the estate, had rescinded her father's instructions and saw that half of Brabantio's fortune, along with the villa at Belmont, went to her sister, Portia"Moore 2014, 315. Personality Desdemona has a strong heart about her love with Othello. She was loyal and faithful to her husband. “I would have a say in my future, if you please. I, too, am a Venetian, and I would be at my husband’s side. It is true that he won me by tales of his battles, so I would be with him while he does these deeds that drew my affection. I would go to Corsica with him.”Moore 2014, 166. However, at the same time, she cares about her father, and marrying Othello was a big decision. She gives her father the honor and gratitude about the life and education she receivedMoore 2014, 163.. Tears leaped from her eyes when her father said the following line when he learned Desdemona had truly married Othello, “God be with you. I have another daughter, this one is yours, and to me, is daughter no more.”Moore 2014, 165. She will still defy the will of her father, and he saw her marriage with Othello (the Moor) as a calamityMoore 2014, 53.. He thinks that Desdemona is ruined and this leads to Brabantio being determined to have his other daughter Portia marry better than Desdemona. Therefore he creates the price and test for Portia’s marriage. “Your father set the price and the test to see you married better than Desdemona.” Moore 2014, 52. However, the love Desdemona has for her father and family is still strong, and she cried when she learned of her father’s deathMoore 2014, 167., and also misses her sister, Portia. Moore 2014, 191. She doesn't have a sense of humor. When Pocket called Iago "that dog-fucking scoundrel Iago"Moore 2014, 168., Desdemona couldn't see that essence of what Pocket was getting at, and simply understood that Iago liked dogs. References # Moore 2014, 144. # Moore 2014, 215. # Moore 2014, 143. # Moore 2014. 146. # Moore 2014, 35. # Moore 2014, 222. # Moore 2014, 233. # Moore 2014, 234. # Moore 2014, 244. # Moore 2014, 276. # Moore 2014, 288-289. # Moore 2014, 315. # Moore 2014, 166. # Moore 2014, 163. # Moore 2014, 165. # Moore 2014, 53. # Moore 2014, 52. # Moore 2014, 167. # Moore 2014, 191. # Moore 2014, 168. Bibliography Moore, Christopher. The Serpent of Venice. HarperCollins. 2014. Print. Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. Edward Pechter. New York: Norton. 2004. Print. Category:References